Time for Florida Panthers to Head Home

The Florida Panthers took an extended trip and now it is time for them to come home.

When the Panthers left South Florida for Boston and Game 7 last Saturday afternoon, they packed for a week. They went to Boston to win so it made sense for them to pack for the next trip.

Only thing was, they did not know where they were going.

Had Tampa Bay forced a Game 7 — which would be played the day after Florida’s overtime Game 7 win in Boston — the team would have been in a bit of travel limbo.

The Panthers were either coming home with a loss to the Bruins, going to Tampa or Toronto.

Turns out it was four-plus days in Toronto.

It is a similar travel story to the Marlins in 2003 when the Marlins beat the Cubs in the National League Championship Series to advance to the World Series.

Only the Yankees and Red Sox ALCS was not over yet. The Marlins had to wait and see where they were going.

Worked out for the Fish.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW

The Panthers are coming home up 2-0 in their second round series against the Maple Leafs. To keep this up, the Panthers are going to have to keep that forecheck coming.

Florida beats the Leafs 3-2 on Thursday night. Game 3 in Sunrise.

— Paul Maurice knows a goalie has to pull one out of thin air in each series and Sergei Bobrovsky certainly did that on Thursday night.

— Could Sam Bennett be disciplined for his two controversial hits in Game 2? The Panthers do not seem to think so — or at least that’s what they’re saying.

— The Panthers should be getting some more players as the Charlotte Checkers saw their season come to an end in a Game 4 loss at Hershey on Thursday night.

— The breakout star of these playoffs is pretty obvious. Everywhere you look, folks are talking about Matthew Tkachuk and his Florida Panthers.

— Brandon Montour had one heck of a regular season — but he has topped that in these playoffs. Six goals in nine games? Nice.

— A lot of video from the past few days is up on the FHN YouTube Channel including Game 2 postgame reaction from Paul Maurice, Sergei Bobrovsky, Sasha Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Anton Lundell.

There is also pre-game comments from Maurice, Sam Reinhart and Lundell.

To see all the videos, you can click the embedded videos below or head directly to the FHN YouTube Channel RIGHT HERE to see everything all in one place.

If you hit subscribe (it’s free), you will know when new content comes up.

NHL NEWS/NATIONAL HOCKEY NOW

The Vegas Golden Knights are moving away from Regional Sports Networks and putting their games on over-the-air television throughout the region.

The Phoenix Sun/Mercury announced a similar plan last week.

— The Dallas Stars got off the mat and bounced back for a Game 2 home win against the Kraken.

— With the Boston Bruins facing a cap crunch, Dmitry Orlov does not know if he’ll be back.

— Did the Chicago Blackhawks give up on Gus Forsling too soon? Maybe?

FLORIDA PANTHERS ON DECK

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (ATL2) AT FLORIDA PANTHERS (WC2)

GAME 3 (Panthers Lead 2-0)

• When: Sunday, 6:30 p.m.
• Where: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise
• TV: TBS
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932
• First Round Schedule — Game 1: Florida 4, @Toronto 2; Game 2: Florida 3, @Toronto 2; Game 3: Sunday at Florida, 6:30 (TBS); Game 4: Wednesday at Florida, 7 (ESPN); Game 5*:Friday, May 12 at Toronto (TNT); Game 6*: Sunday, May 14 at Florida (TBA); Game 7*:May 16 at Toronto (TNT). (*) – If Necessary
• How They Got Here: Toronto d. Tampa Bay 4-2; Florida d. Boston 4-3
• Season Series (Toronto won 3-1): Maple Leafs 5, @Panthers 4 OT (Jan. 17); @Maple Leafs 6, Panthers 2 (Mar. 23); Panthers 3, @Maple Leafs 2 OT (March 29); Maple Leafs 2, @Panthers 1 OT (April 10)
• Last season: Florida won 2-1
  
• All-time Regular Season Series: Toronto leads 48-36-7, 7 ties
• Postseason History: First Meeting